Pictured here is Capt. Alan Searle (RV-8 & RV-12 builder) flying a C47 on his way over the "Hump Route".

In Aug 2016, Alan and crew piloted VH-XUX (1944 C47) from Australia to China. The flight was conducted to honour those men who helped bring victory and peace by flying supplies over the Himalayas to the Chinese while Japan controlled their borders during WWII.

Follow link for full details on the flight including background, aircraft details and overcoming two engine failures.

Pictured here is Capt. Alan Searle (RV-8 & RV-12 builder) flying a C47 on his way over the "Hump Route".

In Aug 2016, Alan and crew piloted VH-XUX (1944 C47) from Australia to China. The flight was conducted to honour those men who helped bring victory and peace by flying supplies over the Himalayas to the Chinese while Japan controlled their borders during WWII.

Follow link for full details on the flight including background, aircraft details and overcoming two engine failures.

My dad, Alexander (AB) Bell was a C-47 pilot who flew the Hump. I was always fascinated by the stories he would share of his experiences flying the Himalayas. After his passing, his inspiration lead me to purchasing my first airplane, a Piper Cherokee which my son Ben and I learned to fly in. Ben went on to build an RV-8 and I purchased an RV-4 and later an RV-7 which I still have. I hope to one day experience flying s C-47.
You guys did it right...more vodka lol...wish I had been there. Congratulations!

Thank you for posting this, My wife's Uncle Hugh Sillin was also a Captain that flew the Hump and went to a lot of their annual get to gathers here in the states. He did fly with me in my first airplane, a Cessna 120 and I was impressed with his flying the Hump stories. He did pass away a couple years ago but was still flying until a few years before that.

This is an awesome story that I never knew or read about til today. And what a story it is!
My dad was with the 14th Air Force (51st FG, 26th FS), the "Flying Tigers" that followed the AVGs, in Kunming for almost three years. He didn't ship home until early 1945. He told us stories about the never-ending supply issues and the terror of flying the Hump in the [usual] bad weather. My brother and i grew up with the Flying Tigers and the 'Hump" as part of our daily lives. Dad passed away in December 2013 at age 92. As such, this story has particular poignance for us. Thanks much for posting.

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